Industrial Machine Safety Standards & Machine Guarding Regulations
A safe industrial workplace is a more efficient workplace. You can create a less hazardous machine environment for both workers and end-users of machine products by assessing and minimizing risks. Sometimes, however, it can be challenging to determine which machine safety standards apply to your industrial machines. One straightforward way is through geography.
OSHA has set the specification of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212. This machine safety standard addresses the general requirements for the guarding of all machines within industrial settings. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.217, meanwhile, is specifically dedicated to the guarding of mechanical power presses.
In addition, B11 machine safety guidelines describe procedures to assess risk and minimize that risk to create a safer work environment for employees and a safer product for end-users.
For instance, EN ISO 12100 is concerned with safety machinery. It outlines the principles of risk assessment and risk reduction to help create safer industrial workplaces and higher-quality, better-guarded machines for end-users.
No matter your region, elobau has the expertise to help you determine which machine safety standards, regulations, and guidelines apply to your machinery or planned use.
US Machine Safety Standards
While the US does not have a specific set of regulations for instructing OEMs on machine safety, there are two primary sources of standards & rules on machine guarding and safety: OSHA Guidelines and ANSI B11 specifications. These organizations and standards consider manufacturers the suppliers of machinery, and they provide a framework for designing machine safety systems and standards.OSHA Machine Safety Rules & Regulations
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is the primary source of machine safety standards and machine guarding guidelines in the United States. As a division of the United States Department of Labor, OSHA develops, implements, and enforces national standards for machine safety by working with other groups and partner agencies throughout the country.OSHA has set the specification of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212. This machine safety standard addresses the general requirements for the guarding of all machines within industrial settings. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.217, meanwhile, is specifically dedicated to the guarding of mechanical power presses.
ANSI B11 Machine Safety Standards & Guidelines
B11 Standards exist to outline machine safety standards for new, existing, modified, or rebuilt machines used to process materials. This safety regulation also covers associated equipment such as fixtures and equipment used to move material or tooling. Through various guidelines, B11 machine safety standards specify the basic terminology, principles, and methodology for achieving acceptable risk while using machinery in industrial settings.In addition, B11 machine safety guidelines describe procedures to assess risk and minimize that risk to create a safer work environment for employees and a safer product for end-users.
Canadian Machine Safety Standards
The Canadian Ministry of Labor and OHS/OSHA sets machine safety standards within Canada. However, the specifics vary depending on the Canadian province in question, as each is given autonomy over setting machine safety standards. Despite this variation, all provinces require safe working conditions, and the majority answer to CSA-Z432, which outlines general machine safety. Canada also complies with US ANSI B11 standards in implementing their machine safety and machine guarding regulations.European Machine Safety Standards
Unlike the US and Canada, the European Union follows a set of consistent rules throughout the continent. This set of machine safety regulations is called the European Machinery Directive. Unlike OSHA and ANSI B11 machine guarding guidelines, the European Machinery directive considers OEMs and engineers or designers as the suppliers of machinery.The European Machinery Directive
The European Machinery Directive seeks to protect workers and consumers using machinery. It defines the essential health and safety requirements of general machine safety applications and is supplemented by specific requirements that outline safety regulations for certain machine categories.For instance, EN ISO 12100 is concerned with safety machinery. It outlines the principles of risk assessment and risk reduction to help create safer industrial workplaces and higher-quality, better-guarded machines for end-users.